Traditional Ghatam Making - Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Over the years making of ghatam has seen many changes. The instruments that are made these days tend to be players preference. They are manufactured lighter, smaller and more elegant. Thus they are very easy to carry around. But the ghatams made at Manamadurai are still the heaviest variety. They weigh thrice as much as a cooking pot and at least double thickness. In a year nearly four hundred ghatams are made but only 40% of the pots that are baked turn out with the desired tone and shruti. These ghatams are sold for INR.600 per piece.